AI Article Synopsis

  • The study explored how a collaboration among schools, parents, and pediatricians can enhance asthma management and improve the quality of life for children with asthma.
  • Over three years, the Happy Air® program provided educational support and assessments to families, school staff, and students in six primary schools, impacting 2765 children.
  • Results showed significant improvements in asthma diagnoses and quality of life scores for both children and parents, demonstrating the effectiveness of a comprehensive, community-focused approach to asthma care.

Article Abstract

Background: To investigate whether an active partnership between schools, parents, and pediatricians can improve the management of asthma and quality of life of children with asthma.

Methods: A comprehensive asthma program (Happy Air®), based on a strong family-physician-school relationship, was carried out over a period of 3 years in six primary schools (2765 children). This program provides educational intervention to families, school staff, and students, as well as the administration of written questionnaires to identify children with asthma, asthma diagnosis and management, and, last but not least, extracurricular activities to improve respiratory and psychological conditions. Quality of life of children and parents, at the beginning and end of the program, was assessed using PedsQL™ 4.0 (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory) measurement model.

Result: Asthma was diagnosed in 135 children, of which 37 (27%) were diagnosed de novo. In all children, both single item and total clinical asthma scores showed a significant increase (p < .001) at the end of the Happy Air® program. The average scores of both the total PedsQL™ 4.0 and the four Scales were significantly increased (p < .001).

Conclusion: Happy Air® is a model for a strategy of education- and school-based intervention for children with asthma and their families. This multi-action program for diagnosis, clinical follow-up, education, self-management, and quality-of-life control aims to minimize the socioeconomic burden of asthma disease.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/02770903.2011.563808DOI Listing

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